Las week, we see the parents chanted slogans against the sudden and unusual hike in school by three schools of Karachi, the demand which not possible for the middle class parents who are already striving hard in this era of inflation. Recently on the demand of public, The Competition Commission of Pakistan has started inquiry over this matter on the Government’s order.

The Competition Commission of Pakistan has started inquiry into the matter of undue fee hike and adding multiple anonymous heads in the fee challan, however parents of students believe that the private schools need someone like Ayesha Mumtaz (of Food Security Campaign) to check hefty school fees and substandard education.

The commission has received thousands of complaints against the raise in fee by private schools across the country. The CCP is receiving complaints from each and every corner of the country on daily basis because of which the scope of inquiry into fee raise issue has been broaden and the CCP would look into the matter across the country.

We should admire the efforts of parent’s of Karachi who enlighten this injustice by private schools as school fee undue hiking.

The CCP is looking from many angles while conducting the inquiry of school fee raise as the nature of complaints varies from across the country. In order to ensure transparency into the matter the CCP would look into the matter thoroughly however the source said he could not give any deadline to finalize the inquiry.

A mother of a student told the media in Islamabad that school management handed her over the fee challan worth Rs80000 for two months and I was shocked to see the fee voucher. The school management is charging Rs39000 tuition fee, Rs19500 annual charges, Rs18600 books charges, Rs2298 advance tax and Rs600 for generator charges.

She also said that it is becoming very hard for parents to send their kids in good private schools as they keep increasing fees on regular basis and if someone has more than one kid then it would become further difficult to send them in private school.

The point of ponder is all private schools are charging taxes from parents while collecting school fees, however majority of these schools do not pay taxes to the Government. I think it’s a questioning situation especially on the working of FBR, who for a long time let them doing business unchecked. Even the schools are receiving advance tax on challan forms, why did not banks aware the tax authorities.

Similarly the government too is not serious in monitoring the private schools as it has created Private Education Institution Regulatory Authority But the its head is still not appointed to tackle the issues related to the complaints and allegation on private school mafia.

Many of the parent’s has decided not to send their children to school because the fee is now beyond their affordability. This is alarming. Only the appointment of commission in not necessary but the proper inquiry and implementation of suggestions in badly needed.